The Brazilian government is hoping to reduce fruit and vegetable waste by showing consumers 'ugly fruit' is still perfectly fit for consumption.

In a release, the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) said the country wasted about a third of all the fruit it produced, with half lost during transportation and much of the rest going to waste in supermarkets.

Agriculture Minister Kátia Abreu said it was important to stimulate markets where producers could sell their 'ugly' fruits directly to consumers at lower prices, rather than through supermarkets where the fruit would often go unsold.

"We want to show consumers that ugly fruits and vegetables can still be eaten at the table with the same flavor, but bought for a lower price," she said.

"We are not talking about products that are bad or unfit for consumption, but those that are not perfect but can still be eaten normally."

According to a study by MAPA's Agricultural Research Cooperation, Embrapa, Brazil wasted 30% of fruit production and 35% of vegetable production in 2000.

Embrapa researcher Antônio Gomes Soares said although the research was conducted some time ago, not much had changed.

"In some places the quality of produce is better, but in terms of loss there isn't much difference because the proper packaging is often not used, meaning fruits lose quality during transportation or due to excessive heat," Soares said.

He said one way to improve the situation could be to provide training to those who handle fruits and vegetables, both on the farms and in the distribution centers.

The researcher also drew attention to the conditions produce was exposed to during transport and in storage, and highlighted poor farm practices he had seen like discarding unhealthy fruit on the ground where it could contaminate other products.

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